Big 12 Notebook: Big 12 looks to field eight bowl teams this year

BIG 12 NOTEBOOKEven Baylor still in picture with month left in regular season

Published 5:30 am, Thursday, October 27, 2005

It's never too early to begin tossing around college football bowl projections involving Big 12 schools (for informational purposes only):

• Rose Bowl (BCS): Texas vs. Southern California — Go ahead and hand the Longhorns the conference trophy. No other Big 12 opponent has come within 20 points this season. The remainder of the schedule should be a breeze, unless those pesky Aggies decide to pull off the upset of the year. Otherwise, get used to seeing Bevo and plenty of folks wearing cowboy boots and hats along Rodeo Drive in early January.
• Cotton: Texas Tech vs. LSU — The Red Raiders, the only other ranked team in the league, are headed to Dallas for the first time since 1995. This is a no-brainer, since no other team will be able to match Tech's 10-1 record and ability to sell tickets. The loss to Texas killed any thought the Red Raiders had of crashing the BCS party.
• Holiday: Colorado vs. Oregon — Assuming the Buffaloes win the North, Colorado is looking more attractive to Holiday officials and could end the year ranked in the Top 25. The Buffs likely would face Oregon, with USC and UCLA landing BCS bids from the Pac-10.
• Alamo: Texas A&M vs. Ohio State — A few weeks ago, the Aggies couldn't have booked reservations for the Toilet Bowl. A trip to San Antonio — a guaranteed sellout with A&M's loyal following — would be a season saver considering A&M was 3-2 before winning the last two weeks. A victory over Iowa State this weekend would make the Aggies bowl-eligible — a must with a brutal November schedule that includes Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Texas.
• Independence: Nebraska vs. South Carolina — After snapping a 35-year bowl streak, the Cornhuskers are back. The only thing that might cause Nebraska and Oklahoma to swap places is the fact the Cornhuskers have been to Shreveport more recently.
• Champs Sports: Oklahoma vs. Maryland — All things considered in this season of ups and mostly downs, there could be a lot worse destinations for the Sooners than Disney World.
• Houston: Missouri vs. Vanderbilt — Hey, for once, the Southeastern Conference might live up to its end of the deal and send a team to Houston. Tigers quarterback Brad Smith is one of the most electrifying quarterbacks in the country.
• Fort Worth: Iowa State vs. Tulsa — The Fort Worth game won't have an affiliation with the Big 12 after this season. The league's going-away gift is a Big 12 participant for the first time ever. Kansas State and Baylor also could be possibilities to fill the Big 12 slot.

Upon further review ...

Oklahoma coach
Bob Stoops
continues to have some issues with the Big 12's instant-replay system.

Two weeks ago against Kansas, Stoops took a timeout to give replay officials a chance to review and ultimately overturn a call that turned a Jayhawks reception near the end zone into a Sooners interception.

Last week against Baylor, TV replays showed the knee of Bears quarterback Shawn Bell hit the turf before the football crossed the goal line on the two-point conversion that sent the game into overtime. Officials said video evidence was inconclusive on the conversion call.

"There are some really ticky-tack fouls on either side that if we're worried about the speed of the game, we could probably get rid of," Stoops said. "Some of these important issues, you would think they would immediately go to it. I think we'll get better at it. I guess that's the best way of putting it."

Robison on pace

Defensive end
Brian Robison
is on pace to become the first Texas player to reach a double-digit sack total since
Aaron Humphrey
had 10 in 1998 and '99.

Robison, a junior from Splendora, had three against Texas Tech on Saturday to increase his season total to a team-leading six.

"Definitely, right now I want to get to 10 sacks," he said. "I set a goal of 10 sacks during the preseason."

Robison, who wears a black wristband with the phrase "I own the man guarding me," said he missed three sacks against Colorado earlier this season.

Double threat

Kansas is turning to its best defensive player to provide a boost to its anemic offense.

Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino said he expects Charles Gordon, an All-Big 12 cornerback, likely to remain at wide receiver for the rest of the season. Gordon started at wide receiver against Colorado last week and played both ways in the second half. He led Kansas with eight receptions for 86 yards and a touchdown.

"We won't completely divorce him from defense," Mangino said.

Two-minute drill

Kansas State is in familiar territory — below .500 at the midpoint of the conference schedule for the fifth consecutive year. "It's getting late in the season, so to speak," coach
Bill Snyder
said. "It's going to be interesting to see whether this football team can have the spirit and discipline to do what would make us a better football team, one capable of turning our fortunes around." ... Senior
Jason Swanson
is the latest quarterback flavor of the week for Kansas. Swanson, who was out with an injury for the first six games, will get the start this week against archrival Missouri. The Jayhawks also have used
Adam Barmann
and
Brian Luke
this season. ... Texas coach
Mack Brown
said he is considering using freshman
Quan Cosby
on kickoffs. "That's something we need to discuss," Brown said. Cosby, a former minor-league baseball player in the Angels system, had a 30-yard kickoff return and 38-yard punt return last week against Texas Tech. By using Cosby on kickoffs, Brown hopes to give defensive backs
Aaron Ross
and
Tarell Brown
some rest between series. ... Baylor coach
Guy Morriss
does not consider it a consolation prize to have stayed close in losses to Texas A&M, Nebraska and Oklahoma. "Our kids aren't thinking that we are just trying to play with teams or keep it close," he said. "Playing close is not our goal."